1st Maccabees Chapter 1

Alexander and his successors

1:1 And it so happened, after that Alexander son of Philip, the Macedonian, who came out of the land of Chittimכִּתִּים
Chittim or Kittim = “bruisers” Kittîy, kit-tee’; or כִּתִּיִּי Kittîyîy; patrial from an unused name denoting Cyprus (only in the plural); a Kittite or Cypriote; hence, an islander in general, i.e. the Greeks or Romans on the shores opposite Palestine:—Chittim, Kittim. For more info click here, had struck Darius king of the Persians and Medes, that he reigned in his place, the first at Hellas,
1:2 And made many wars, and won many strong holds, and killed many local kings,
1:3 And went through to the ends of the earth, and plundered many nations, the earth went silent before him; on which he was exalted and his heart swelled with pride.
1:4 And he gathered a mighty strong army and ruled over provinces, and nations, and kings, who became his tributaries.
1:5 But came a time he fell sick, and realized that he would die.
1:6 For this reason he called his officers, noblemen, and those that had been brought up with him from his youth, and divided his kingdom among them, while he was still alive.
1:7 So Alexander had reigned twelves years, then died.
1:8 Each of his officers ruled each one in his region.
1:9 And after his death they all put crowns on themselves; so did their sons after them many years: bringing increased evils on the earth.

Antiochus Epiphanes: Israel infected with Helenism

1:10 And out of them there came a evil branch Antiochus surnamed Epiphanes, son of Antiochus the king, who had been an hostage at Rome, and he reigned in the hundred and thirty seventh year of the kingdom of the Greeks.
1:11 In those days there went out from Israel a group of men, who persuaded many, saying, Let us go and make allies with the gentile that are around us: for since we separated from them we have had much grief.
1:12 So this idea pleased them well.
1:13 Then a group of the people were so excited, that they went to the king, who gave them permission to do the ordinances of the gentile:
1:14 on which they built a gymnasium in Jerusalem like the gentiles have.
1:15 And hid their circumcision, and forsook the holy covenant, and submitted themselves to the gentile as willing slaves.

First Egyptian campaign and pillage of the Temple

1:16 Now Antiochus had established his kingdom, he thought to reign over Egypt that he might rule over of two kingdoms.
1:17 For that reason he invaded Egypt with a huge force, with chariots, and elephants, and horsemen, and a great navy,
1:18 And made war against Ptolemee king of Egypt: but Ptolemee was afraid of him, and fled; and many were wounded and death.
1:19 So they invaded the strong cities in the land of Egypt and he plundered them.
1:20 And after Antiochus had struck Egypt, he returned in the one hundred forty third year, and went up against Israel and Jerusalem with a huge force,
1:21 And entered arrogantly into the sanctuary, and took away the golden altar, and the candlestick of light, and all the vessels of it,
1:22 And the table of the shewbreadלחם הפנים
Leḥem haPānīm, literally: “Bread of the Faces”, in the King James Version: shewbread, in a biblical or Jewish context, refers to the cakes or loaves of bread which were always present, on a specially-dedicated table, in the Temple in Jerusalem as an offering to God. An alternative, and more appropriate, translation would be presence bread, since the Bible requires that the bread be constantly in the presence of God , and the pouring vessels, and the vials. and the incense is burners of gold, and the veil, and the crown, and the golden ornaments that were on front of the temple, all of which he made off with.
1:23 He took also the silver and the gold, and the precious vessels: also he took the secret treasures which he found.
1:24 And when he had taken them all away, he went to his own country, having made a great massacre, and spoken words of extreme arrogance.
1:25 So there was a great mourning in Israel, in every place where they were;
1:26 So that the princes and elders mourned, the girls and young men were weakened and the beauty of women had changed.
1:27 Every bridegroom took up weeping, and the bride that sat grieving on the marriage bed,
1:28 The earth quaked for its inhabitants , and all the house of Jacob was clothed with shame.

Intervention of the Mysarch and construction of the Acra

1:29 And two years later and the king sent his chief tax collector to the cities of Judah, who came to Jerusalem with a huge force,
1:30 And he spoke to them in words of peaceשָׁלוֹם‎
Transliteration šālôm Pronunciation shaw-lome’ shalom – completeness, soundness, welfare, peace, be well, prosperity For more info click here, but it was all deceit: because when he had gained their confidence, he suddenly attacked the city, and struck it with extreme violence, and destroyed many people of Israel.
1:31 And when he had taken the plunder out of the city, he set it on fire, and tore down the houses and walls on every side.
1:32 But the women and children took they captive, and possessed the cattle.
1:33 Then they built the city of David with a great and strong wall, and with mighty towers, and made it a fortress for them.
1:34 And they put in it a sinful nation, evil men, and fortified themselves.
1:35 They stored in it arms and food, and when they had gathered together the plunder from Jerusalem, they laid them up there, and so they became a lot of trouble:
1:36 Because it was a place to ambush the sanctuary, an evil adversary to Israel.
1:37 So they shed innocent blood on every side of the sanctuary, and defiled it:
1:38 To such an extent that the inhabitants of Jerusalem fled because of them: on which the city was made an home of aliens, and became alienated to those that were born in her; and her own children left her.
1:39 Her sanctuary was laid waste like a desert, her feasts were turned into mourning, her Sabbaths into a mockery her honor into contempt.

Installation of the gentile cults

1:40 As much as her honor had been her glory, now so was her dishonor, and her greatness was turned into mourning.
1:41 Then king Antiochus issued a proclamation to his whole kingdom, that all should be one people,
1:42 And every one should leave his laws: so all the gentiles followed the decree of the king.
1:43 Many also of the Israelites accepted his religion, and sacrificed to idols, and profaned the Sabbath.
1:44 For the king had sent letters by messengers to Jerusalem and the cities of Judah that they should follow the strange laws of the land,
1:45 And banning burnt offerings, and sacrifice, and drink offerings, in the temple; and that they should profane the Sabbaths and festival days:
1:46 And pollute the sanctuary and everything holy:
1:47 Building altars, and groves, and temples for idols, and sacrifice pigs flesh, and unclean beasts:
1:48 That they should also leave their sons uncircumcised, and make their souls loathsome with all manner of uncleanness and ungodliness:
1:49 So they might forget the Torahתּוֹרָה‎
Tōrā,/ˈtɔːrə, ˈtoʊrə/; “Instruction”, “Teaching” or “Law”) The first five books of the Bible or also called “the books of Moses” comes from an archery term meaning to shoot., and reverse all the observance of it.
1:50 And whoever wouldn’t obey to the command of the king, would be put to death.
1:51 In this way he wrote to his whole kingdom, and appointed overseers over all the people, commanding the cities of Judah to sacrifice, city by city.
1:52 Then many of the people were gathered to them, namely every one that forsook the Torahתּוֹרָה‎
Tōrā,/ˈtɔːrə, ˈtoʊrə/; “Instruction”, “Teaching” or “Law”) The first five books of the Bible or also called “the books of Moses” comes from an archery term meaning to shoot.; and so they committed evils in the land;
1:53 And they drove the Israelites into hiding places, even wherever they could flee for help.
1:54 Now the fifteenth day of the month of Kislevכִּסְלֵו‎
Kīslev. also ‘Chisleu’ in the King James (authorized English) Bible, is the third month of the civil year and the ninth month of the ecclesiastical year on the Hebrew calendar. In the Babylonian calendar its name was Araḫ Kislimu For more info click here, in the hundred forty fifth year, they built an abomination of desolation on the altar, and built idol altars throughout the cities of Judah on every side;
1:55 And burnt incense at the doors of their houses, and in the streets.
1:56 And when they had torn in pieces the books of the law which they found, they burnt them with fire.
1:57 And whoever was found with any the book of the covenant, or practicing the Torahתּוֹרָה‎
Tōrā,/ˈtɔːrə, ˈtoʊrə/; “Instruction”, “Teaching” or “Law”) The first five books of the Bible or also called “the books of Moses” comes from an archery term meaning to shoot., the king’s command was that they should put him to death.
1:58 So did they by their authority to the Israelites every month, against anyone as they were found in the cities.
1:59 On the twenty fifth day of each month they sacrificed on the idol altar, that was on the altar of God.
1:60 At that time according to the commandment they put to death women, that had their children circumcised.
1:61 And they hung the infants around their necks, and the members their household, and killed them that had circumcised them.
1:62 However many in Israel were stood firm and committed, in themselves not to eat anything unclean.
1:63 For that reason they would rather die, rather than be defiled with food, and that they wouldn’t profane the holy covenant: so then they were put to death.
1:64 There was an overwhelming outrage on Israel.